Glendon College - Persepctives on Human Nature

GLENDON COLLEGE
GL SOCI 2600E.06 / GL SOSC 2660E.06
PERSPECTIVES ON HUMAN NATURE

Course Director:           Dr. D. Carveth
Office:                         C 133 (by appointment)
Telephone:                   736-2100 ext. 88378
Web:                           http://www.yorku.ca/dcarveth
Course Website:          http://www.yorku.ca/dcarveth/Perspectives

COURSE DESCRIPTION

A multi-disciplinary study of a range of influential yet contrasting theories of human nature encountered in the contemporary humanities and social sciences. Perspectives to be surveyed include those of such nineteenth and twentieth century thinkers as Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger, Sartre and de Beauvoir.

Like modern western culture itself, the humanities and social sciences are characterized by the absence of any unified perspective and, hence, by a range of widely differing and often incompatible assumptions regarding human nature. Students in the special disciplines are not always sufficiently aware of the insularity of the particular anthropology more or less taken for granted in any specific field. It is the aim of this course to familiarize the beginning student with some of the major perspectives upon human reality and to encourage her to think critically about them.

To this end, lectures will provide a general introduction to each perspective and compare and contrast the different viewpoints in regard to their varying assumptions and implications. In addition, each perspective will be viewed in the context of and as a response to the wider crisis of meaning which characterizes modern civilization.

READINGS

Barrett, Wm. (1962). Irrational Man: A Study in Existential Philosophy. Garden City, New York:

Doubleday.

Berger, P. (1965). The Sacred Canopy: Elements of a Sociological Theory of Religion. Garden City,

New York: Doubleday.

Buber, M.(1938). "What is Man?" In Between Man and Man. Trans. R. Gregor-Smith. London:

Fontana, 1961, pp. 148-166. Buber

Freud, S. (1927). The Future of An Illusion. Standard Edition 21: 3-58. Future

-----. (1930). Civilization and Its Discontents. Standard Edition 21: 59-148. Civilization

-----. (1933). "The Dissection of the Psychical Personality." Lecture 31, New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, S.E., 22: 57-80. Dissection

Fromm, E. (1961). Marx's Concept of Man. New York: Ungar. Online here: Marx's Concept of Man

May, R. (1950). The Meaning of Anxiety, chapter 2, "Philosophical Interpreters of Anxiety," pp. 29-51.

New York: Norton, 1977. May

McGrath, A. (2004). The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern

World. New York: Doubleday.

Steiner, G. (1974). Nostalgia for the Absolute. Toronto: CBC Publications.

Stevenson, L. and D. Haberman (2009). Ten Theories of Human Nature, 5th ed. New York: Oxford University Press. Introduction and chapters 4-9; and "Freud: The Unconscious Basis of Mind." In

Stevenson & Haberman, Ten Theories, 4rth ed., chapter 8, pp. 156-175. Freud

SEQUENCE

A. Introduction: Homelessness

Barrett, Wm. Irrational Man. Chapters 1-3.

Buber, M.(1938). "What is Man?" In Between Man and Man. Trans. R. Gregor-Smith. London:

Fontana, 1961, pp. 148-166. Buber.

Steiner, G. (1974). Nostalgia for the Absolute. Chapter 1.

B. Theories of Human Nature

Stevenson, L. and D. Haberman (2009). Ten Theories of Human Nature.

Introduction: Rival Theories and Critical Assessments.

Chapter 4, Plato: The Rule of Reason.

Chapter 5, Aristotle: The Ideal of Human Fulfillment.

Chapter 6, The Bible: Humanity in Relation to God.

Historical Interlude

Chapter 7, Kant: Reasons and Causes, Morality and Religion

C. Sociological Perspective

Stevenson & Haberman, Chapter 8, Marx: The Economic Basis of Human Societies. See also: Pelz

Berger, P. The Sacred Canopy.

McGrath, A. The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in the Modern

World.

Fromm, E. Marx's Marx's Concept of Man

Recommended: Eagleton, T. (2011). Why Marx was Right. New Haven & London: Yale University Press.

[December/January holiday break]

D. Existentialism

Barrett, Wm. Irrational Man. Chapters 4-11.
May, R. (1950). The Meaning of Anxiety, chapter 2, "Philosophical Interpreters of Anxiety," pp. 29-51. New York: Norton, 1977. May.

Stevenson, L. and D. Haberman (2009), Ten Theories of Human Nature. Chapter 9, Sartre: Radical Freedom.

E. Freudianism

Stevenson, L. and D. Haberman (2004). Ten Theories of Human Nature, 4rth Ed. Chapter 8, Freud: The Unconscious Basis of Mind.

Freud, S. (1927). The Future of An Illusion. Standard Edition 21: 3-58. Future

-----. (1930). Civilization and Its Discontents. Standard Edition 21: 59-148. Civilization

-----. (1933). "The Dissection of the Psychical Personality." Lecture 31, New Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis, S.E., 22: 57-80. Dissection
Mitchell, J. Psychoanalysis and Feminism, Part Two, Section II: Feminism and Freud, Chapter 1, “Simone de Beauvoir: Freud and the Second Sex,” pp 305-318.

ASSIGNMENTS

Two essays worth 40% each and two tests worth 10% each.

INSTRUCTIONS (click here for further tips on essay style and presentation)

1. It is essential that you discuss your essay topic thoroughly in seminar before beginning to write so that you are quite clear about what is expected.
2. Students may generate essay topics of their own only with the explicit written permission of the instructor.
3. Remember you are writing, not for the instructor, but for the intelligent lay person who has not taken this course. Define all key terms.
4. Lectures are designed as a guide to your own research. Essays which merely regurgitate lecture notes will not be accepted.

        Do not quote or refer to lectures in your essays; work with relevant texts instead.
5.  Form, style, syntax, grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc., are as important as the content of your essay.
6.  The "in text" reference system is to be used. For an illustration of this system see: Carveth, D. (1993),

"The Borderline Dilemma in Paris, Texas: Psychoanalytic Approaches to Sam Shepard."

        Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis/Revue canadienne de psychanalyse. 1, 2:19-46.
7.  Length: Approximately 2500 words or ten typed and double-spaced pages (Times New Roman 12).
8.  Students who wish to express their solidarity with feminism linguistically should consistently write "she", "her", etc.,

or alternate the masculine and feminine forms, rather than "he/she", "him/her", etc.

9. Deliver essays to C213 (slot in door). Remember to keep a copy on file.

10. Please use complete justification of the text (as distinct from left justification).

11. Do not attribute to Buber concepts that are Barrett's, or to Barrett concepts that are Buber's, and so on with respect to other authors.

12. In your first reference to a book provide in brackets it's year of first publication. As long as you continue to refer to this book

you need not repeat the bracketed reference; when you turn to a different book by this author, or a book by another author,

provide the bracketed date.

13. In your text refer to dates of first publication if possible, but in your bibliography include the year of publication of the edition you are using.

14. Do not equate habitation and nomos, and homelessness and anomy. An epoch of homelessness still entails a nomos,

but one in which there is a good deal of anomy experienced. An epoch of habitation is one in which anomy may be rare

but is likely to still exist.

15. Failure to discuss concepts closely related to the one you are focused upon results in a shallow essay. Discuss closely related concepts.

16. Comparing and contrasting each author's views adds analytical interest and depth, as opposed to discussing each theory entirely separately.

17. Make sure that when you apply concepts you discuss closely related concepts as well and explain why and how these concepts are relevant.

18. Do not write excessively long paragraphs. Each paragraph should contain one main idea. When you shift to another idea start a new paragraph.

19. Do not sacrifice clarity in an attempt to write elegantly.

Please Note:

1. Consumption of food in class is a distraction and an annoyance to both other students and the instructor. Please snack before or after, but not during class time.

2. Please ensure that cell phones, smart phones, pagers, etc., are turned off before entering the classroom.

3. Use of computers in class is forbidden unless you have a documented disability requiring this.

4. If you arrive late for class, do not enter until the break. You will be able to hear my voice as you wait in the hall near the door.

ESSAY TOPICS

First Term (see course web page for due dates)

1. Write an essay on the nature and causes of the problem of man's "homelessness", "anomy", "encounter with nothingness" in modernity and the "nostalgia for the absolute" to which this cultural crisis has given rise. Explore various literary, philosophical, artistic, cinematic or other cultural manifestations of these themes.

2. Write an essay on the process of secularization, contrasting Berger's (1965) view of this process with McGrath's (2004) perspective.

3. Write an essay on critical or dialectical thinking as contrasted with secular and religious fundamentalism. Provide a critical or dialectical approach to, say, "homelessness," religion, Marxism or psychoanalysis that faces ambiguity and sustains ambivalence and contrast this with a fundamentalist approach that evades it.

4. Describe your ideas and assumptions as to the nature of Marxism prior to your reading of Eagleton's (2011) and D'Amoto's (2006) recent books and then proceed to explain how your views have changed.

Second Term (see course web page for due dates)

1. Write a critical study of existentialism as a series of philosophical responses to the "death of god" and the spectre of nihilism. Discuss the distinctions between religious and atheistic existentialism and explore the work of one or more writers representing each of these perspectives.

2. Outline the critique of religion as illusion developed by Feuerbach, Marx and Freud. Offer some hints as to a critique of the critique.

3. If there is a tension within Marxism between its determinism and its voluntarism (see Gouldner The Two Marxisms), describe Jean-Paul Sartre's attempt to work out a synthesis of Marxism and existentialism, an existential neo-Marxism, in Search for a Method and The Critique of Dialectical Reason. Laing and Esterson's (1964) Reason and Violence: A Decade of Sartre's Philosophy 1950-1960 is a usesful source in this regard.

NOTE: Late penalties apply after due date at the rate of 5% of the grade earned per day (e.g., one day late would drop you from 80% to 75%, two days to 70%, three days to 65%, etc). Deliver to C213 (slot in door). Be sure to keep a copy as "lost" essays will receive a grade of zero. Hard copies must be submitted. Essays emailed to the instructors will not be accepted.

NOTE: YORK POLICY ON ACADEMIC HONESTY

RECOMMENDED READINGS

Barnes, H. (1959). Humanistic Existentialism: The Literature of Possibility. Lincoln: University of

Nebraska Press.
Berger, P. (1965). "Toward a Sociological Understanding of Psychoanalysis." Social Research

32:26-41
Carveth, D. (1993). "The Borderline Dilemma in Paris, Texas: Psychoanalytic Approaches to Sam

Shepard." Canadian Journal of Psychoanalysis/Revue canadienne de psychanalyse. 1, 2:19-46.

Available on website.
D'Amato, P. (2006). The Meaning of Marxism. Chicago: Haymarket.

de Beauvoir, S. (1952). The Second Sex. New York: Vintage, 1974.
Eagleton, T. (2009). Reason, Faith, and Revolution: Reflections on the God Debate. New Haven & London: Yale University Press.

Eagleton, T. (2011). Why Marx was Right. New Haven & London: Yale University Press.

Feuerbach, L. (1841). The Essence of Christianity. Mineola, N.Y.: Dover, 2008.

Freud, S. (1973a). Introductory Lectures on Psychoanalysis. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Pelican.
Fromm, E. (1965). Escape from Freedom. New York: Avon.
Gardiner, P. (1988). Kierkegaard. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Gouldner, A.W. (1980). The Two Marxisms: Contradictions and Anomalies in the Development of Theory. New York: Seabury.

Kaufmann, W. (Ed.) (1975). Existentialism: From Dostoevsky to Sartre. Rev. Ed. New York: Meridian.
Küng, H. (1990). Freud and the Problem of God. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Macquarrie, J. (1955). An Existentialist Theology. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Pelican, 1973.
Marty, M. (1964). Varieties of Unbelief. Garden City, New York: Doubleday.
Meissner, W. (1984). Psychoanalysis and Religious Experience. New Haven: Yale University

Press.
Mitchell, J. (1974). Psychoanalysis and Feminism. New York: Vintage. Part Two, Section II:

Feminism and Freud, Ch. 1, “Simone de Beauvoir: Freud and the Second Sex”, pp 305 –318.
Mitchell S. A. & M. J. Black (1995). Freud And Beyond : A History of Modern Psychoanalytic

Thought. New York: Basic Books.
Popper, Karl R. (1966). The Open Society and Its Enemies. Vol. 2, Hegel and Marx. Princeton,

N.J.: Princeton University Press.
Reinhardt, K.F. (1960). The Existentialist Revolt. Enlarged Ed. New York: Ungar.
Rowley, H. (2005). Téte-à-Téte: Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre. New York: HarperCollins.

Sartre, J.-P. (1953). Being and Nothingness: A Study in Phenomenological Ontology. Trans. H.E.

Barnes. New York: Philosophical Library.
Singer, P. (1980). Marx. New York: Oxford University Press.

-----. (1983). Hegel. New York: Oxford University Press.

Smith, J.H. & S.A. Handelman, Eds. (1990). Psychoanalysis and Religion. Psychiatry and the

Humanities. Vol II. Baltimore & London: Johns Hopkins University Press.
Wolfenstein, E.V. (1993). Psychoanalytic-marxism: Groundwork. New York: Guilford.